The Chosen One
by Deranged Goddess of Insanity
Summary: HArry makes a wish, and is sent to a different dimension. Hp * Heralds of Valdamar. I finally have a chapter all knew. I finished all the revisions to the chapters.
1. prologue

A/n: I would like to apologize for the formatting being off. I hadn't known about that until tonight, Sept. 7, 2002. This is still my improved version, but this time with the formatting corrected. That is the last time I use my grandmother's computer to upload a chapter.  
  
  
  
Harry's birthday was complete misery. He was 1.8 meters tall and still growing, yet he only weighed 43.3 kilograms. He had nightmares every night, and when he woke, he had the words, "KILL THE SPARE," echoing throughout his mind.  
  
Then there were the beatings. They were always for small, inconsequential, imagined offenses. Eating too much - 'ha, as if, I never get any food' - or talking too loudly, even for working too fast or too slow. To the Dursleys, he never did anything right.  
  
It had been a complete shock the first time Vernon had hit him. Harry had forgotten how easily it was for Vernon to lose his temper and abuse him. He had been safe from Vernon's temper since he had received his first letter to Hogwarts. Vernon hadn't wanted to have to deal with adult freaks. He had missed a spot when he was dusting, and Vernon had promptly backhanded him. His lip was split from the force of the blow, and he gained a black eye. "You worthless brat, you can't do anything right. We take you in and feed you and you can't even clean properly. You are as worthless as your father was," Vernon roared.  
  
He was brought back to the present with Petunia yelling at him to clean the bathroom and dining room. He complied, but not fast enough.  
  
Harry sighed as he went to work. He knew he would be in trouble that night. He also knew that Vernon had been acting quite happy lately and he only acted like that when he had a new way to torture Harry. He clutched at his ribs as he attempted to polish the dining room table, under Petunia's watchful eyes. Harry could feel the hate rolling off Petunia, which confused Harry. He had always known that they had hated him, but he didn't know how much they could distaste another human being until this summer or way he could feel others emotions.  
  
Yes, they had beat him, and abused him in other ways, but they had never denied him at least bread crusts or glasses of water. They had gotten their fun in other ways than denying him basic nourishment. They had enjoyed playing with car cigarette lighters. They liked to see how soon they could make Harry scream in pain.  
  
At first, Harry had thought it was something he had done wrong. He had been five the first time they had locked him in the cupboard with no food. It had been punishment for accidentally turning his teacher purple. After that, with the Dursleys' suspicion confirmed that Harry was a freak, every thing had gone downhill. They had been careful not to leave marks that would show on his face, and they definitely made sure that his clothes were baggy to hide his stiffness as he walked. At any given time, Harry would have bruised ribs and bruises littering his whole body.  
  
"Bloody ingrate! Polish the table correctly!" Petunia screamed at Harry after slapping Harry across the face, leaving a red mark.  
  
Harry kept his head down as he hobbled around the room polishing the rest of the furniture, while trying to ignore the pain he was in. He had tried to hate the Dursleys the way they had hated him, but he couldn't. He feared them for the things they had done and continued to do to him, but all he felt for them was pity. They would never be able to care for other people, or be happy because of the way they were locked in hate and fear and anger at things that they couldn't control.  
  
He finished with the dining room and moved on to the bathroom. He cleaned out the toilet and scrubbed the linoleum floor before scrubbing down the sink and the bathtub. He left the bathroom when he finished cleaning, only to meet Vernon in the hallway.  
  
Petunia had complained to Vernon on how slow and disrespectful Harry was, and Vernon was going to punish the boy. He slapped the boy at the same location Petunia had, and than preceded to beat the boy with his hands and fists, until Harry was bleeding with a split lip and black eyes. Vernon told Harry to clean the bathroom and than go to his room, where he would be punished later.  
  
That night, Vernon punished Harry with a new "toy." It was a bullwhip.  
  
It cracked and whistled through the air before meeting Harry's back. Soon his back was covered with the tatters of his skin, as well as a great deal of blood. Before Vernon left, he snarled, "You will be expected to do all your chores tomorrow."  
  
Harry didn't answer. He was looking at the stars and trying to make a wish. It was to be somewhere where he was safe and wanted. He passed out and never knew that he disappeared in a maelstrom of air and bright, emerald green light. 


	2. just a challange (nothing to do with fic...

I'm so totally sorry; I didn't know that I had it on signed reviews only, so sorry.  
  
This isn't a new chapter, but a challenge.  
  
These are the requirements  
  
Harry has to end up in Valdamar  
  
Harry has to be chosen at some point in the fic  
  
Harry has to have a gift not seen in a very long time  
  
Harry has to met the Hawkbrothers or the people of the plains at some point  
  
You have to tell me if you are accepting the challenge, please leave the title or author name, so that others can read the fic  
  
  
  
Thank-you for reviewing. 


	3. Where is HArry?

Harry woke up dazed and confused. He had woken up on the border between the plains and an eerie forest. All he knew was that he doubted very much that this place was anywhere in Britain. He looked around at the barren plain and the forest teeming with the sounds of animals. Birds trilled songs more wondrous than a phoenix's song and other animals called to one another.  
  
Harry smiled faintly before wincing. He could barely breath. He could feel his broken ribs shifting with every breath. His skin felt sticky with the way the bloody tatters of skin clung to his back. He looked out into the plains and felt uneasy. There was great danger and evil that way. Yet, the plains held a majestic beauty all of its own.  
  
No. Harry decided to turn into the woods. It felt... safer, more soothing the plains. As if a guardian was waiting somewhere at the end for him. Harry had gone barely three steps before collapsing on the ground, with no one around to see him. No one to care about him. All he used to want was someone to care about him. Someone to wonder why the tinkle in his eye was dying, someone to worry about him for whenever he was even a minute late. Now, all he wanted was someone who could help him. Someone who would come to his aid.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^In the Forest^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
The _kyree_ rested his head on his paws, tired of watching his sister's pups. He was a young _kyree_, and lonely. There weren't many _kyree_ in the forest by this vale, only his sister, her mate, and the five pups. He watched his sister return with some food she had gotten from the vale. She didn't feel like hunting for all of them, and her mate was still with the animal healer at the vale.  
  
He watched sadly as she washed the pups and than nudged the food to them. The pups were still too young to mind-talk, and as such had to be watched carefully so they didn't get into a bad situation. The _kyree_ closed his eyes, and was about to take a nap when he heard a voice begging for help in the back of his mind. The voice was irresistible, and he stood up as if in a trance to follow the voice.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In Haven, at the Heralds' Collegium ^^^^^^^^  
  
"Daryl, did you feel that," Daryl's twin sister Maryl asked. They were two of the newly chosen at the Collegium. Daryl had mousy brown hair and black eyes whilst his twin had black hair and brown eyes. They were very different, one shy and the other outgoing, but both would sacrifice themselves to save another. That isn't saying a lot in the Heralds' Collegium because everyone there would do the same, but else where, that type is courage is rare.  
  
"Yes, it felt like a disturbance in the boundary between the dimensions. Whoever made that disturbance is powerful, very powerful."  
  
The twins had a gift rarely seen. They could see the magic around them, but more important sense disturbances that told them when someone was coming into a gift. Whoever had landed had many gifts to be awakened. The last time someone was seen with this many gifts was Herald Pol, Laven Firestorm's mentor.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In the Vale^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"The bondbirds report a strange boy who appeared out of nowhere. It looked like he had Gated, but there isn't enough power to Gate yet. The boy looks as if he was beaten, and next to him are an owl and a weird cloak. It is draped over part of the boy's leg, and you can't see the section it is covering. That section looks as if it is invisible. Oh, and the boy has a scar in the shape of a lighting bolt on his forehead." 


	4. meet mareth

~ In the forest~  
  
"Nightsong, where exactly is this boy, and what are his injuries. He needs to be found as soon as possible so that his wounds can be healed."  
  
Nightsong replied, "We do not know, Sunwalker."  
  
"Well, send the scouts out to bring him in, and warn the healers that there is an injured child coming in."  
  
As Nightsong left, Sunwalker placed his head in his hands. HE knew from just the brief description that anyone besides Nightsong should go, but there weren't enough scouts. He knew that Nightsong had been deeply scarred by his lover's death. He also knew that the mind healers were worried that Nightsong hadn't started to heal from the wounds of the death.  
  
Sunwalker looked up as another scout entered the room. "Sir, the change- creatures are not replying to our envoys, and Herald Skif is here." Sunwalker nodded, and stood up and followed the scout up.  
  
~In the forest by the plains~  
  
Mareth stared in shock at the human cub he had found. He had no idea how the cub had called him when the cub was unconscious. Mareth curled at the boy's feet, determined to protect, because the cub had called, and he had answered.  
  
Mareth noticed that the cub had dark hair and pale, sallow looking skin. The cub looked severely malnourished, and Mareth could see scars and bruises covering the child.  
  
The cub started to move around. His legs were thrashing and he was crying out in a language the _kyree_ had never heard before. All that said was that the cub wasn't from Valdemar, Karse, or one of the Hawkbrothers. The cub seemed to be crying out a name and it sounded like the poor cub was afraid for his life. _:Wake up, cub, wake up!:_ Mareth sent to the child.  
  
Harry woke up with a start. His whole body hurt and he thought he had heard a voice in his head, but that had to be impossible unless he was going crazy. _I am probably going crazy_, he thought to himself. At least, he thought he had thought it to himself. _:No cub, you aren't going crazy. The voice you heard was mine. My name is Mareth and I am a _kyree_ historian.:_ Harry didn't answer, to afraid of what was happening to him. _First, Vernon nearly kills me, then I show up in the middle of who knows where and now there is a strange animal talking to me telepathically. My life seriously sucks._  
  
~ In a galaxy far, far away, or not~  
  
However, the Hawkbrothers and the _kyree_ weren't the only ones to have heard the call. Several of the change-children had heard the call to. They were determined to snatch this powerful child and corrupt him. The strongest of the clans started to make plans on when to grab the child. They decided they would wait a couple of days before striking. "Let the child feel safe, it will make him easier to break,'' lisped a half-lizard half-human change-child.  
  
  
  



	5. meet nightsong

  
  
  
Disclaimer: If you think I own Harry potter or Mercedes lackey things, than my little voices were right, you do have serious mental problems.  
  
Nightsong looked around at his surroundings. He was in a part of the forest he rarely went into, since he never really had to patrol the forest borders. He hated traveling by the plain/forest border, but that was where the injured child was located. Also, It was near where Sunstorm had died in the freak storm brought on by too much magical activity by the change lizards.  
  
He did not trust the change-creatures, nor would he ever trust the change lizards.  
  
Nightsong called to his owlhawk, Sree, _:Where is the boy?:_  
  
Soon he was told, _:Near, by _kyree_.:_  
  
_:_Kyree_? Which one?:_  
  
_:Mareth.:_  
  
Nightsong stopped moving along the tree road to get his bearings and to find out more about what he was about to walk into. _Unshielded child radiating fear, pain, confusion, and hunger, great,_ he thought to himself. He tried to shield, but found that hard to do with the range of emotions being sent out by the mind. The last time he had felt emotions like this was when Sunstorm had been dying. He didn't know how the boy appeared, but more importantly, neither did the mages, and that was what scared him. Sree then broke into his thoughts to tell him that they would be at the boy's site in about five minutes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By the Plains~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_:Cub, what do they call you?:_ Mareth sent to his cub.  
  
_:They call me Harry. My name is Harry James Potter.:_ Harry replied to the _kyree_.  
  
_:Who hurt you? Who would hurt a cub? Cubs are precious!:_  
  
_:My aunt and uncle would. They hate me. They thought I was a freak because of who and what I am. The hate the fact that I'm different from them and that I refused to be like them. They hate the fact that my parents died and they got saddled with me.:_  
  
Harry suddenly jumped when a man jumped out of the trees right in front of Harry. The man then proceeded to ask a question but he had no idea what had been said. _Great, the boy doesn't even know Tayledras._ Nightsong was pulled from his thoughts by the _kyree_ historian.  
  
_:The cub might not understand your language, but he is a mind speaker.:_  
  
_:That makes my job much easier,:_ Nightsong responded with considerable relief. _:Boy, do you know what is wrong with you?:_ he sent to the boy.  
  
_:Besides the malnutrition, broken bones, cracked ribs, and concussion? Not really,:_ the boy replied.  
  



	6. They start to suspect, and the twins pla...

Disclaimer: The little voices in my head say I don't own Harry Potter or The Heralds of Valdemar.  
  
~Somewhere in England~  
  
It was August Second, and Sirius Black was worried. Now, if you were a normal muggle, wizard, or witch, you would think that he would be worried about being recaptured for the murder of thirteen people. However, that wasn't so. All he was worried about was his godson, Harry Potter, the child of two people whose death he believed to have assisted. Harry always replied as soon as possible to the owls he sent, so that Sirius wouldn't worry.  
  
"Damn it, Remus, I need to check up on Harry. He always replies by the next day, and I expressly asked for a speedy reply. Something must of happened too him."  
  
"Calm down, Sirius, if anything had happened to Harry, Dumbledore would have contacted us," Remus said to his concerned friend.  
  
" I know Remus, but I'm so worried, I'm his godfather, and if anything happened too him, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."  
  
Remus might not of shown how worried he was, but he was worried. He had learned how to hide his feelings from all the derogatory remarks that were made towards him because he was a werewolf. He also thought Harry would have owled, because of the news Sirius had sent in his letter. Remus had been given the job as defense against the dark arts, and Harry was allowed to spend the rest of the summer at his place, if he wanted.  
  
"He'll be fine Sirius." He stated.  
  
"I know, Remi, I know." And Sirius voice trailed off.  
  
~At the Burrow~  
  
"Ron, I'm worried about Harry, it is not like him to not reply to an owl. Do you think he's okay?" Fred and George, about to open the door and tease Ron about Hermione, paused and started to eavesdrop. Truth be told, they were worried about Harry too.  
  
"I'm worried too, but this is Harry we are talking about. He will be fine, I mean, he did manage to defeat you-know-who several times."  
  
" What if his aunt and uncle are trying to keep him from getting to Hogwarts for school? They would. They hate anything 'abnormal' too much to not even try.  
  
Fred and George crept back into their room without hearing the rest. While Fred checked the silencing charms around the room their mother had put up after a practically loud explosion, they started to plot.  
  
First, they bounced around some abstract ideas, but they finally decided to go with a proven method, with some modifications. They would take their brooms instead of the Ford, and they would have to use an invisibility potion. They would go that night.  
  
~In Valdemar~  
  
The twins were sitting in front of a large Heartstone, both trying to form a picture of the boy. All they could see was a scar, in the shape of a lighting bolt. They couldn't make out any other characteristics about the boy. They came out of the trance, and received a piece shocking news. A stallion had just appeared out of the grove, and then left, not even stopping to impart his name so a saddle could be made. They didn't even know his name. Ryo galloped as fast as he could. His Chosen was out there, hurt, and he had to get to him. He sent out his thought to find his Chosen, and was shocked to find him bonded to a _kyree_! Well, he was glad that someone would be able to help his Chosen until he himself could.  
  
~In the Forest~  
  
Nightsong stared at the boy. This boy, who had just totally shocked him. If he had been in the same state as the boy, he didn't think he would be joking as the boy was. He would still probably be unconscious. Nightsong then sent to the boy, _:I will be lifting you with a minor magic, please don't distract me.:_ Then to himself, _I really wish I had the healing gift. I would be able to heal the boy, and maybe I would have-- Don't even think about that, Nightsong._  
  
The _kyree_ seemed to be talking to Harry, and he was certain of that fact when Harry suddenly laughed. He caught Harry's reply, _:Seeing that git Malfoy being turned into a ferret was hilarious. He was bounced around the hallways too. The expression on his face when he got turned back into a human.:_  
  
Nightsong was relieved that Harry could still laugh, even though he had been hurt so severely.  
  
Harry didn't quite understand why Mareth wanted to know more about Hogwarts and the different things he had done, but he had been glad to oblige. Hogwarts and the Weasley's house had been the only places he had ever been safe, and it looked like it would be a long while before he went back. Harry started with the memories that brought the most joy, such as being told that he was a wizard, or that he was going to go to Hogwarts. Memories of meeting Ron and becoming friends with Hermione, and of staying at the Weasley's. He told of fun memories, like when he had snuck into Hogsmeade, and made Draco believe that Harry's head was out to get him The last good memory he told was when the fake Moody turned Draco into a ferret. Then he started to remember the bad things, but before he sunk any farther than a green light, Mareth pulled him out of it.  
  
Mareth knew the cub didn't know why he wanted to know about the memories, but he figured that he would explain it to the cub at a later time. He was a Historian, and when a historian linked to someone, they took down all of the linked mind-mates memories as a historical document. They were much like the records kept by the Chronicler at the Collegia for the Heralds.  


  



	7. the twins go to the rescue, and HArry dr...

  


Disclaimer: If you think that I own this, then my little voices were right. You do have serious mental problems.  
  
Words:  
  
_Thoughts_  
  
~Different place~  
  
"Speech"  


  
Harry felt himself rising, and was shocked because Nightsong didn't even say "_Wingardium leviosa_!" He gasped, and startled Nightsong into nearly dropping him.  
  
_:Harry, I'm going to put you to sleep so that you don't disturb me into dropping you.:_ Nightsong was about to pick Harry up when Mareth spoke to him. _:You are not grounded or centered. Please do so before picking up the cub.:_  
  
Nightsong grimaced but found first his center and than grounded. He lifted Harry and his belongings and got a fair distance away from the site when Harry started to thrash around.  
  
Harry was running. Running under a blue sky with nary a cloud in sight. Harry was running towards a horse. It was white with sapphire-blue eyes, and carried a sense of otherworldliness around it.  
  
Then he felt something evil chasing him. He looked behind himself and saw creatures that were human, yet not human. He was running, but they were always there, snapping and hissing at his heels. They were getting closer. They surrounded him, snarling that they were going to get him. Harry picked up a stick from the ground that caught on fire, and tried to beat the creatures away. It didn't work, and one of the creatures jumped for his throat.  
  
It took Nightsong two minutes to wake the thrashing child, and when he finally did, Harry started to cry, and clung to his neck.  
  
_:What is wrong with him?:_ Nightsong wondered.  
  
_:One of his gifts has awakened. He has the gift of foresight,:_ Mareth answered.  
  
_:Foresight, just great. Who is going to train him in that?:_ Nightsong replied.  
  
_:The only person who can. You,:_ thought Mareth.  
  
_:Me?! But I can't, not after what happened to Sunstorm!:_  
  
_:You can't foresee every single thing that is going top happen. That storm was magical, and his death happened too suddenly for anyone to prevent it,:_ replied the _kyree_. _:Besides, you might not have to train the cub. He has the type of self-sacrificing personality to be Chosen.:_  
  
~Valdemar~  
  
Ryo galloped faster and faster. He needed to be with his Chosen. His Chosen was coming into his gifts with only an emotionally scarred Hawkbrother to teach him how to control his gifts. Any one of the mages would be able to teach his Chosen how to ground and center and to train him to Adept standards, but he had another type of magic that someone from his Chosen's world was going to have to teach him. Ryo strained his abilities and just barely touched his Chosen's mind, and discovered that his godfather and an old teacher of his were the people he trusted the most.  
  
Ideally, only one or two people would be pulled through, however, as many people as needed would be pulled through. The last time someone was pulled through into a different realm, his enemy had followed. Everyone thought that Urtho, the Silent Mage, had died when fighting Ma'ar, but it had been proven that while Ma'ar's mortal body had died, his spirit had lived in a realm of chaos biding his time until he could rise again. Well, Urtho hadn't died either; he had been pulled in reverse of Harry, and had become one of the greatest wizards of all time. He had become Merlin.  
  
~England~  
  
Fred and George were over London, heading towards Surrey, when Fred's Cleansweep 7 started to malfunction.  
  
"Oi, George, this is the last time I borrow a broom from Ron," he called to his twin.  
  
"I just wish we had the car right now," replied George. The twins landed, and Fred doubled with George on his broom.  
  
"We'll just leave Ron's broom here, and pick it up on the way back."  
  
~Hogwarts~  
  
Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk with his head in his hands. _I give it five minutes before Sirius and Remus show up here. How am I going to explain that Harry went missing to them._  
  
Just than, the flames in the fireplace turned red and a head popped out.  
  



	8. Enter Peter, Sirius and Remus to the res...

  


Disclaimer: Me, own Harry Potter or Mercedes Lackey characters and situations? When did that occur and why did nobody tell me of this momentous occasion?  
  
Warning: This fic will contain slash, _shaych_, yaoi, whatever you want to call it.  
  
~Hogwarts~  
  
To Albus's complete shock, the head in the fireplace wasn't Sirius or Remus. It was Severus Snape.  
  
"Child, what is the matter?" Albus said to his distraught surrogate son. The only other time that Severus had been in such a state was when his gift for divination had been awakened. His stepbrother, James Potter, had also had the same ability. Lily, on the other hand, had been a telepath. She had been able to talk to all sorts of animals mentally, though she had been a bit weak when it came to communicating with other people.  
  
"It was Harry. He was being chased by Dark creatures. Not human, but not animal either. He's in grave danger, and he's going to need help."  
  
"So, what are you going to do about it, Severus?" asked Dumbledore.  
  
"Albus, I'm going to go by his house to check on him," he replied.  
  
_Great, I have to explain to Severus instead about Harry going missing. The only way my day would get any worse would be if Fudge showed up,_ thought Dumbledore. "You won't find Harry at his home. He somehow disappeared in the middle of the night. All we know is that he didn't receive his Hogwarts letter, and that he hasn't replied to any of the letters sent to him over the break."  
  
Severus looked at Albus calmly. "Can you repeat what you just said? Because I thought I heard you say that you have managed to lose Harry."  
  
"Yes, I did say that. I have no idea where he is, and if you'll excuse me, I have a call on the other fireplace," Albus said hurriedly. With that last remark, Severus's face disappeared and the flames returned to there normal color.  
  
~At the Canine Cavern~  
  
Remus had been watching Sirius pace around for the past half-hour. They both could feel that something was wrong, but neither knew what exactly was wrong. Both could feel that it had something to do with Harry, and that was it.  
  
"That's it Moony. I can't stand it anymore. I'm going to go check on Harry, and you can't stop me," declared Sirius.  
  
Remus replied, "I'm going with you, Padfoot. Do you really think I'll let you go alone when you could be captured at any time? If so, you are more stupid than you look, and that, my friend, is almost impossible."  
  
"So, we just Apparate then?" questioned Sirius.  
  
"Can't. There are wards that prevent any other than Arabella from Apparating within ten miles of the house. We'll bring our brooms along, and ride then after we Apparate to the boundary of the ward."  
  
"So why don't we just take a port key directly to the house?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Because Albus changed the wards after what happened this past year. He doesn't want Voldemort to send someone directly to Harry's house. If you take a port key, you'll appear about two miles away from the house. However, even if we use a port key, Harry will refuse to use it," replied Remus in exasperation.  
  
Sirius finally agreed with Remus so that Remus wouldn't hex him again. Sirius shuddered as he remembered the last time he had ticked Remus off. He had ended up in a pink sequined dress singing Pretty Women to Professor McGonagall.  
  
Both Remus and Sirius searched the house for muggle clothes, and soon found some in an old trunk. Sirius smirked when he saw his black leather pants and his scarlet silk shirt, both carefully preserved by a charm. His smirk grew when he saw a pair of whitewashed formfitting jeans and a gold nylon shirt. "Here Remus, put this on," he said, handing Remus the latter outfit.  
  
~Somewhere~  
  
Wormtail was scuttling down the hallway towards his master. He hated it when his master called, because the mark on his arm always started to burn. He stared in trepidation at the doors leading towards the grand hall, where his master always stayed. The guards at the door smirked as they opened the door. They both knew that Wormtail was going to have something bad happened to him. Not a one of the other death eaters trusted Wormtail.  
  
Wormtail entered the room, and stared at the scene before him. His master was laughing in a grotesque manner and Nagini was coiled around his master and the chair, no throne, his master was sitting on. "Ah, Wormtail, so good of you to join me," his master said as soon as he noticed that Wormtail was there. "I have a small task for you. I want you to go to Potter's house, and bring him back to me," he continued. With that, he dismissed Wormtail, who nearly fainted in relief. His Master wasn't going to punish him.  
  
He was nearly to the door when he felt the pain. "Maybe next time you won't be late Wormtail," said his master. As soon as he stood up from his crumpled heap on the floor, his master threw a port key at him.  
  
Wormtail looked around the place he found himself in, and walked into a grocery store near where he appeared. He put on a hapless expression, and told the cashier that he was lost, and would she kindly tell him where he was, and how to get to London?  
  
The cashier complied and told him that he was in Little Whinging, and that the fastest way to get to London was to go down the street and to turn left at the Dursley place. Then take a right and then he should just follow the road directly to London.  
  
Peter smirked as he left the shop. He knew exactly what his task was. He was to grab Harry Potter, and take him back to his master.  
  
~Valdemar~  
  
Ryo was nearly spent when he reached a waystation. The Herald who was staying there overnight tsked at the state the Companion was in. He didn't say anything, nor did the Companion, Gavina. The Herald just made sure that he was in good shape and feed him a warm mash. Afterwards, the Herald rubbed him down and finally said, "If it is so urgent that you are in that state, perhaps you should have someone go with you." Ryo just looked at the Herald and then went to sleep without speaking a word.  
  
~Somewhere in the Forest~  
  
The change-lizards had meet again. This time to come up with a more workable plan. They would have to make their move early than expected because of the Companion headed this way. If they didn't break the boy now, they wouldn't get another chance. Soon enough they came up with a plan. Now they had to figure out how to execute the plan.  
  
The leader pointed to one of the younger, more agile, and better-gifted change-lizard to follow the boy until he was in an area where it would be easier to take him away from the Hawkbrother. They had to let them get farther away from the plains, but not in an area easily accessible from the Vale.


	9. Devolping the plot

A/n: Thanks so much to my beta, Dark_One Shadowphyre, without whom I would have made a ton of mistakes. ^_^ Like calling Nightsong "Nightwind."  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own. I will never own. I really wish I could own it.  
  
Harry had fallen back into a restless slumber with Nightsong cradling him. He felt safe for the first the moment, but somewhere in the back of the mind he knew it wouldn't last. He knew he was in danger. He knew that somewhere out there something was chasing him, something evil. Harry moaned as Nightsong jostled the still healing whip marks on his back, only to be reassured that everything would be okay.  
  
Mareth carefully watched the human cub. The cub was closer to the breaking point than anyone knew. Not only did the cub have to get over the trauma of what occurred to him; he would have to do so with strong gifts starting to wake within him. He could tell that soon the cub would awaken the ability to start fires.  
  
He glanced at Nightsong. He was so concerned with getting the child to a safe place that he didn't realize that the child needed something to eat. _:Nightsong, wake the child and give him a piece of the dried meat. He needs to eat something or soon his body will be permanently affected from the malnutrition.:_ Mareth watched as the poor cub looked around with fear-filled eyes before realizing he was safe. He felt like finding whomever had put that fear in the cub's eyes and ripping their throats out.  
  
Mareth rested his head on his paws and carefully checked the surroundings of the clearing they were resting in. As soon as he assured himself that they were safe, he searched mentally for the cub's Companion. He wanted to force the Companion to move, to get here for the cub fast, but he knew that the Companion was tired. He had been running all day and he did need a chance to rest.  
  
Nightsong had been shocked when Mareth had told him to feed the cub. He knew the boy had been treated badly, but he hadn't really thought about the fact that the child needed something to eat. No one was allowed to treat a child that bad in the Vale. Children were considered a special gift, and he was shocked that someone would treat a child as such.  
  
He knew that it occurred in Valdemar, just as he knew it was illegal to treat a child as such. He knew that if a child was treated as such, he was either placed with relatives or given an apprenticeship with a healer or a bard or placed in the service of one of the lord's castles.  
  
Nightsong noticed that it was getting darker, and that he had almost drained his gift down. He hadn't used any of his gifts since Sunstorm had died. He realized that he wouldn't make it back to the Vale with the child along, so he built camp. He made a small lean-to, built a fire, and started to make soup. He knew that the boy wouldn't really be able to handle anything besides soup.  
  
~~~~In Haven~~~~  
  
The twins were in orienteering class when they had been called out. They were to trance again, but this time they were to have someone with FarSight following along. The deans wanted to know where the child was along with the Companion that had appeared out of the Grove. The last time a Grove-Born Companion had appeared it had been the deans' older sister's Companion. The twins agreed and soon they were in front of the Heartstone.  
  
The twins carefully ground and centered and than focused on creating a link between their powers. They had noticed that they could link their powers and as such triple the strength of the gifts. They found out what they already knew about the boy.  
  
He had been abused. His gifts were starting to wake, and he was in the protection of the Hawkbrothers. They discovered that the Companion's name was Ryo and that he had had to stop for the night after exhausting himself.  
  
~~~~~England~~~~~  
  
Sirius looked around at the muggle town he and Remus had Apparated to. From here, they would have to fly on the broomsticks, and Remus was a bad flier. Remus always claimed it was because the wolf wanted to stay on the ground, but Sirius personally felt it was because Remus got airsick. Sirius got on his nimbus 2001 and watched as Remus did the same. It wouldn't take long to travel the ten miles to the house and when they did so, he had a huge surprise for the Dursleys'.  
  
Five minutes later, Sirius stared in distaste at the neat muggle house. He could see the living room with all the pictures of Dudley, but not one of Harry. He noticed that Dudley was sitting in front of the television and was eating a rather large meal. "No wonder Harry doesn't like it here," he commented to Remus.  
  
"Sirius, something's wrong. There was a lot of blood spilt and I can fell the pain and terror in this house. They did something to Harry," Remus spoke as if in a trance.  
  
Sirius growled deep in his throat and suddenly kicked down the door. He was going to have just charmed the door, but he decided to scare the damn muggles who would dare to hurt Harry. He watched with a deucedly evil smirk on his face as the muggles started to scream. "Where is my godson?"  
  
He watched as Petunia had fainted after whispering, "He's real?" He watched as Vernon and Dudley both turned an extremely pale white, and he watched as Vernon pointed up the stairs.  
  
He followed Remus up the stairs and they both moved towards the smallest bedroom in #4 Privet Drive. Sirius turned the knob on the door, and stared in the room. The room was bare of anything a normal child would have in the room. There was one tattered blanket on a mattress, which was on the floor. He was about to turn around and curse the Dursleys' when he suddenly noticed that he and Remus were glowing. Not long after, he found himself sprawled in a clearing in the woods, surrounded by half-human half-lizard creatures.  
  
~~~~England~~~~  
  
Fred and George noticed that they were almost to Harry's house, when they noticed a glowing light in Harry's window. They than realized that they themselves were glowing, and soon they disappeared.  
  
When they got to wherever they were, they noticed that they were in the middle of a large plain, and that several people on horseback were bearing down on them.  
  



	10. New people join the fun in the land of N...

  
Disclaimer: I do not and have never owned Harry Potter and related trademarks nor do I own Heralds of Valdemar and related things.  
  
Warnings: Peter, child abuse, and slash are contained within these chapters. If you don't like, than you don't have to read.  
  
" Speech"  
  
~**Different location**~  
  
_Thoughts_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wormtail looked around the place that he had been port-keyed to. He noticed that it was a muggle town, with only some children with the ability to perform magic. All children were under seven, so there were no worries. Now all he had to do was figure out where he was. _'Just my luck to be dropped in the middle of nowhere without any instructions_,' he thought with anger.  
  
As he finished that thought, a small piece of parchment suddenly appeared, with the crimson red ink still wet. Wormtail read the words and smiled.  
  
Wormtail,  
  
This port key should take you near that boy's house. He lives at number four Privet Drive. I want him brought back to the small tree near where you appeared. There you will find a port-key in the shape of a shoe. You have 35 minutes.  
  
Lord Voldemort  
  
Wormtail looked around the small town before deciding that he couldn't wander around in robes. He cast one of the few charms that he could and placed a time-limited transfiguration on his robe. They turned into a black suit. With that out of the way, he next looked for someone to help him. He entered the grocery store he had seen and found out that the house was two miles away. The kind clerk offered to drive him when he saw how tired the man was.  
  
Wormtail stepped out of the car and quickly made his way towards the door. He wondered way the door was opened and found that it was because the Dursleys' were too petrified of something to move. He grinned, knowing that that would make his job much easier. He walked up the stairs and down the hall towards the three regular bedrooms and walked to the room with blood on the door. He opened it, only to stare in shock at a glowing Remus and Sirius.  
  
He than noticed he was glowing, but not the white they were glowing. His color was a dried blood red, almost as if the glow could see into the soul of a person. He felt faint and closed his eyes; not knowing that as he faded someone had grabbed a hold of him.  
  
~~~~~~**A Manor house in Valdemar dimension** ~~~~~~~  
  
Wormtail looked around the place of where he had appeared, only to stare in shock. He was in an elaborate hall where there were creatures moving around who were not human yet were not animal. Some had superior expressions whilst others had a haunted, hunted look about them. Their posture brought about images of house-elves.  
  
Looking around, he saw a man on a throne-like chair directly behind him. He tilted his head to the side in confusion when the man started to talk, and noticed that the man seemed very angry.  
  
~~~~~**Back to England**~~~~~  
  
Severus Snape looked around his home office before finding what he was searching for. He picked up his rarely used wand and headed to the den. He walked over to the fireplace and throw in the Floo Powder, calling Arabella Figg's house.  
  
She was Harry's guardian and could be found living by his house, pretending to be a mad old witch. He stumbled out of her fireplace and headed towards the door, knowing that Harry lived down the street a couple of doors. He stared in shock at a man leaving a car in front of the boy's house. He knew that man, it was Wormtail, and that Voldemort must have sent him.  
  
Snape ran towards the house, and entered the house, as the door was ajar. He looked at the muggles who seemed to have pissed their pants and just walked up the stairs. He was down the hallway when he noticed Peter. He hurried after him, and had just grabbed him when they both disappeared.  
  
When he came to, he found himself in a small house in a strange location. The person bent over him was wearing loose-fitted green clothes and carried a green scarf. What seemed to be potions lined the shelves and there were jars of dried ingredients all over. The women spoke, yet Severus had no idea what the gibberish sprouting out of her mouth was.  
  
~~~~**In Valdemar**~~~~  
  
The twins were shocked. The Deans were going to send them out to one of the Vales, K'Valdemar Vale, to see if they had heard of any strangers or if the Companion had gone past them.  
  
The twins had never really left haven before, and now they suddenly had to be packed with the appropriate articles by dawn tomorrow. They only had 12 candlemarks to get ready, and they were not happy about this.  
  
In fact, they had been about to start protesting vehemently when their companions had told them that they had to stop being so childish and that they were needed. The two companions knew that Daryl and Maryl were just scared, but it was for the best for them to leave Haven.  
  
~~~~**The Forest**~~~  
  
Harry's thrashing and screaming had jolted Nightsong out of a sound sleep. He seemed to be begging someone named Vernon to stop, but it seemed as if this Vernon refused to. Nightsong watched as the boy suddenly opened his eyes, which contained a tortured pain. He didn't seem to notice his surrounds, and he wouldn't stop shaking. Nightsong went to cradle the boy in his arms, but the boy flinched away as if afraid he was about to be struck.  
  
Nightsong frowned; he didn't know what to do. He was startled when Mareth entered his thoughts. _:I'll calm the cub down, please restart the fire,:_ the _kyree_ brusquely commanded.  
  
Nightsong didn't protest as he made the fire, as he had noticed that the cub was calming down. He had stopped trembling, and the look in his eyes dimmed.


	11. searching for a title that has just disa...

A/n: I can't believe I took so long to update this. I blame the little plot bunnies. For some reason, they all involved Tom/Harry………in leather pants. I also had a cool idea………, which is an original HP fic idea, and it's currently at its beta. *Grins and waves at Ty*

I also have no idea about the British school system. I keep getting lost once A levels are mentioned.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter since I doubt that James was really in love with Sirius (though they are in love………) or that Harry was really _shaych_. I do not own Heralds of Valdemar series since if I did Kris never would have died and in Arrow's Flight, it would have been Kris with Dirk instead of Talia.

Warning: Child Abuse, slash (_shaych_), other things, but really just the same stuff as in previous chapters.

~~Change in Location~~

__

:mind speech:

****

dreams/memories

thoughts

"speech"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**__**

Harry was in his cupboard, with his knees curled up to his chest. He was waiting for his Uncle to punish him, though he didn't know what he had done wrong. Harry didn't see why he couldn't go to school if Dudley could go to school. He just wanted to learn and to make a friend. After all, the only other five year olds he knew were Dudley and his group of little bullies, and they weren't the type to make friends with someone weaker then themselves.

Harry paled as he heard footsteps echoing closer to him.

They grew louder and louder with each footfall, until they were just outside of his room. He whimpered as the door opened. Though the whimper was only faintly audible, Vernon heard it. "So, you are trying to get out of your chores by wanting to go to school? Did you not know school was only for those who have a chance to succeed in life? Only those who better, nicer, and of higher standing than you can go to school."

Vernon stared down at the boy before kicking him in the chest. Harry gasped and tried to curl himself into a ball, but couldn't. Soon the reason became obvious. Harry had been shackled to the bed, and there wasn't enough chain length for him to sit anyway but with his knees to his chest and his back to the wall.

Harry never cried out as the blows landed, having learned that the punishment didn't last as long if he didn't react. The blows were not hard enough to leave marks on his face and lower arms, but his chest and back were soon covered with bruises. Harry sighed in relief as soon as Vernon left, and wished that his parents were still alive. They would have loved him, even if no one else would have. Parents always love their children, no matter what. He fell asleep, chained to an up-right position.

Harry slept fitfully through the night, until Vernon decided to silence him. Harry had woken up to a slap across the face, and this time he started to struggle against Vernon. For some reason during the night, the chains that had held Harry in an upright position had come undone, and he could protect himself.

Harry had been shocked to discover the unlocked chains, and he had managed to get himself out of the cupboard and into the living room where someone passing by would have been able to see Harry be hit, especially since it was now daylight.

Harry felt hands touching him; even though they were gentle, he flinched away. Vernon had done that several times, pretending to be gentle to him before slapping him or punching him. He cowered away from the hands but soon noticed that a voice was gently whispering through his mind that he was now safe and that no one would hurt him.

Harry soon eased back into his dream/memory, but this time it wasn't as personal. He was watching the dream from a distance, with a bright presence next to him. It took him a bit to figure out that the presence was Mareth and that it was the reason that Harry wasn't relieving the memories totally.

The _kyree_ growled as the memories started back again. Mareth seemed sickened by the treatment that Harry was going through and couldn't seem to fathom why someone from the same pack would treat someone that badly.

**__**

Harry quickly hid behind the couch and watched in relative safety as Vernon went off to work and Aunt Petunia came down the stairs and started making breakfast for Dudley. She then took him to school and then went back to bed for another hour.

As soon as she woke again, she handed Harry a list of chores and supervised him as he washed dishes and did the laundry and polished things and vacuumed things. Harry worked quickly for a six-year-old, but it wasn't quick enough for Aunt Petunia. She encouraged Harry to work faster by slapping him or hitting him every now and then and making scathing remarks when he mentioned that he couldn't see anything, that everything was blurry.

Harry finished working just in time to sit down at the table and eat the scraps of food off Dudley's plate. He listened as Vernon growled and said that Harry would have to go to school by law.

Harry looked up with bright eyes, but soon he became downcast when he heard Vernon order Dudley to make sure Harry didn't contaminant anyone and that the boy would be wearing Dudley's old uniform to school.

Petunia looked over at Harry and spoke, "I guess I have to take him to the doctor than to have his medical records and the other things that Dudley-diddums needed to enter kindergarten."

For some reason the dream faded out then and Harry woke fully to realize that Nightsong was holding a cup of broth to his lips.

~~~~~~~ Vale K'Valdemar~~~~~

Darien stared at the twin herald trainees who had just entered his Vale. They had said that they were searching for information about strangers and if a Companion on a search had gone by.

Darien knew that he had one stranger who had been found by Keisha, but he also knew that no Companion had gone by yet.

With a slight groan, Darien stood up, motioned the Herald-trainees to follow, and proceeded to Keisha's healing hut. In there was a strange man who had suddenly appeared near the Heartstone, and Keisha had insisted that the man was a good man.

Darien stopped in front of the hut and entered it to see Keisha asking the man several questions and the man staring blankly in reply.

"Here, let me help," Darien said and then suited words to action. He quickly cast a translation spell and then motioned Keisha to re-question the man.

"Who are you? Where are you from? How did you get here?" she questioned and was then shocked by his answers.

"I am Severus Snape, Professor of Potions at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am from England, and I have not a clue as to how I arrived here. All I know was that I saw something happening to my step-nephew and that he would need my help, so I went to his guardians' residence. I arrived to find the person who had betrayed my stepbrother and his wife and hence causing their deaths at the house. I followed him up the steps and had just grabbed him when something seemed to pull me and I woke up here," the man explained quickly.

Darien stared at the man in shock while the twins shared a look and started to question the man themselves. Their questions ranged from what was his step-nephew's age to his nephew's description and seemed satisfied at the answer, though the way the man answered was a bit of a shock.

The man had pulled out a piece of wood, mumbled a few words in a strange language, and conjured up a tree dimensional picture of his step-nephew.

The young teen had jet-black hair, vibrant emerald green eyes, and a scar in the shape of a lighting bolt on his forehead.

When the man was done with his impromptu show of magic, Keisha shooed the trainees and Darien out and then handed the man a tea with some herbs designed to put someone to sleep in it.

It took a bit for the drug to take effect, but when it did, she went into a trance, healed some of the man's injuries, and removed a tattoo on the man's left arm that was slowly poisoning the man to death.


End file.
